


Blueberries

by RedLaces



Series: Lovely Little Ficlets: Life coaches [3]
Category: Nothing Much to Do
Genre: Asthma attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2015-01-06
Packaged: 2018-03-06 09:02:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3128825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedLaces/pseuds/RedLaces
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Claudio asked about you." Leo is the first to break, but immediately everyone snaps back, like rubber bands. Hero straightens her back. Louise looks up and closes her book, and Ester stops cutting up her pancakes which were already turned to smush. And all of a sudden everyone has something to say.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blueberries

Hero used her tongue to squish a blueberry onto the roof of her tongue, letting it fall back and swallowing. She sat at the end of the dining table, her mothers sitting either side and Leo next to Louise on the right. Ester on her left. They sat in complete silence, a rarity in the Duke house. There was usually pleasant conversation flowly gently around the group, conversation which grew instantly more dynamic when Bea, Clair and Simon came over in the summer. But now there was nothing, but an impatient nothing, like a dog trained to stay seeing birds across the park. The nose rises, the tail wags, the growl builds in the chest. It’s almost painful to watch, and it’s only a matter of time before-

"Claudio asked about you." Leo is the first to break, but immediately everyone snaps back, like rubber bands. Hero straightens her back. Louise looks up and closes her book, and Ester stops cutting up her pancakes which were already turned to smush. And all of a sudden everyone has something to say.

 

"He called as well."

"He came by the other day whilst you were out with your new friend-"

" John."

"John? I thought you said Joan?" Ester must have gotten whiplash from how quickly her head turned to fix a glare on her daughter.

"No this is the English version." Hero raised her hand pop a fingergun before remembering that the only person who would understand her pun fast enough was currently being scrutinised behind his back by her parents.

She lowered her hand in time with her gaze, picking up her fork and beginning her organisation of her blueberries. There was something oddly satisfying in rolling small fruit through maple syrup whilst your entire family described how great your ex-boyfriend is.

"He just want to know if you were okay." Leo recalled. "He didn’t ask to see you, or even leave a message."

"Why tell me then?" Hero flicked her head back, her blonde hair falling over her part instead of casting a shadow across her face. She stuck her chin forward and spoke with a bitter tone. "He clearly wanted to be subtle. Why not just let me get over him. Why drag him through the house like dirt under your shoes."

"Don’t call him dirt, Hero. I thought you split peacefully?" Ester’s face softened, but Hero wasn’t looking at her.

"So did I. Apparently someone else isn’t quite over him." She narrowed her glare on her brother.

"He’s on the football team, Hero! The best player! And even if he wasn’t, I can’t drop him because you broke up."

Hero’s jaw dropped. She rolled her eyes, smiled and sat back in her chair, crossing her arms and settling in for this. “I’ve stopped coming to the games, Leo! For the sake of your fucking team I stay home whilst my friends have a fun Saturday morning I’m stuck at home!”

"You weren’t last Saturday." Louise said to her breakfast. "Wasn’t she?" Ester looked to Hero, "where were you?"

"I went for a bike ride!"

"With Joan?" Ester interrogated.

"John!"

"Yes?”

“Yeah? So?” Hero shrugged. “He’s my friend. We’re hanging out. I’m furthering myself as a person.” Hero turned to Louise, appealing to the psychologist in her. “Isn’t that what you’re suppose to do after you experience loss? Self-reflection?”

Louise looked like she might agree with her daughter, but Ester interrupted.

“It’s hardly self-reflection when you’re spending all this time with another boy. Is he a rebound? Is this a jealousy tactic? Are you trying to get Claudio back?”

Leo dropped his spoon into his cornflakes. “Please tell me you’re not-”

“No!” Hero shouted. “You’re not listening to me!” Louise gave her a shocked look. Hero became aware of the way her face was contorted. She put her arms down, took a deep breath and looked at Ester, the logic of the family. “I’m telling you exactly why I’m doing what I’m doing. I’m giving you the answers, please hear them, and-” she moved her gaze to Louise. “Trust that I know what I’m doing.”

They stopped for a minute, and Hero searched each of them individually for what they were thinking. Ester, very suspicious, but ultimately her frown didn’t drag down her face enough to end in disagreement. Louise seemed to be battling a weird mix of pride, worry and territorialism. Proud that her daughter had handled this conversation maturely, with consideration for their feelings, and worried that her daughter was drifting, and that she couldn’t understand this new relationship the girl was forging.

When people met the Dukes they assumed Ester would be the dangerous, or cruel, one. And they’re right, on the most part, but Louise’s cruelty is immense and complicated but happened to have a handy dandy button. Family. Press the button, and watch her go. John wouldn’t live to see the end of the conversation if he hurt Hero. Secretly Hero’s always hoped she’d get to the problem first, but she guessed it was nice to have this sort of, secret weapon. In a parent.

Hero turned finally to Leo, and found that he didn’t look slightly convinced. He opened his mouth, and a split second before he said anything she knew what words were going to pour from his mouth.

“Are you sure you breaking up with Claudio doesn’t have anything to do with the asthma attack?”

And just like that, the entire conversation fell silent, and all eyes fell on Hero. She felt her cheeks flush, and saw her hands begin to shake. She looked at Louise, whose eyes were watering as she looked at her breakfast, and to Ester, whose knee was beginning to jig as she looked over her wife’s shoulder. And to Leo, whom she hadn’t seen look so sincerely worried since she came to dinner the day after her last asthma attack when she six.

“Yes,” She looked at him, pressing her palms firmly to the table to keep them still. “But that doesn’t mean my actions aren’t valid.”

The doorbell rang.

Hero stood up. “That’s for me.” She picked up her backpack and threw it over her shoulder. “It’s John. We’re going stationery shopping for the new school year.”

“What’s his last name?” Ester nearly growled.

Hero furrowed her eyebrows. “Donaldson.” She stated.

Louise’s jaw dropped.

“Didn’t I mention he was Pedro’s new brother?” Hero asked.

“No, no you didn’t.” Ester smiled. “Go hang out with your friend.”

Hero nodded, a confused look donning her face. She turned around and started walking towards the door, wondering how simply a last name made all her parents arguments disappear.


End file.
